douglas whitaker



D. WHITAKER.

SHIELD TUNNELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY a. l9l9.

Patented July 22, 1919-.

- UN T D DOUGLAS wnIrA E'R;

sr 'rns PATENT orrio.

or LEICESTER, ENGLAND.

1 sins-5L1) TUNNELING-MACHINE.

njients and auxiliary devices, are arranged .within the cylindrical outercas'e or' other body or frame. f

t T 1 nvention; concerns tu1ineling:ii1achines of the kind wherein the rotatablecutting or boring headis mounted and 'arranged so that. it maybe displacedrelatively to the case, body or frameof the machine when desired for the purpose of changing the direction of advancement: of the machine.

The present inventioncomprisesgrin a tunneling machine having a displaceable cutter head as aforesaich'an arrangement wherein the said head and its shaft, the motor, driving gearing and associated parts, are carried by a structure which at or near the rear end is supported by a gimbal mounting and at or near the front end is held in position in the case or other body or frame by devices which are capable of adjustment to vary the position of said front end therein for the purpose of displacing the head.

The devices for adjusting the front end of the structure may in one construction consist of sets of oppositely disposed screws. In a modified form the said adjusting means may consist of screws for eflecting lateral adjustment and a lever, link and screw for the vertical adjustment.

To enable the invention to be clearly and readily understood reference will be made in the following further description to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly sectional, of a tunneling machine of the self contained type having an arrangement of the displaceable cutter head according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view onthe line 11 of Fig. 1 looking toward the left.

Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 2- 2 of Fig. 1 looking toward-the right.

Specification ofLetters Patent.

I Application filed'May 13, 1919.

3 is. the cutter shaft and a is the Patented July 22, 1919.

Serial No. 296,950.

Fig. 4. isa similar view to Fig. 3 showing a modifiedarrangement. a

In the concrete example illustrated the iiivention is shown applied to a tunneling machineof the self contained type wherein the driving elements and auxiliary devices are arranged within a body framework which fits within and is advanced along a cylindrical lining placed in position in sections behind the cutter head.

Referring-to Fig. 1, 2 is the cutter head,

body or frame ofthe machine. 1

The frame is fitted with wheels 5 and rollers 6 which enable the complete machine tov advance along the cylindrical lining 7, :each section of which is placed in position underneath the shield 8 frame 4;. j a 1 According to thepresent invention, the cutter, shaft '3 with the head 2, the motor 9, gear boX 10, driving means 11, and associated. partsx are carried by alongitudinal structure 12-.(Fig's.1, 2,) and this is supported within the frame 1in such a manner that it may be moved therein for the purcarried by the -pose of displacing-the cutterhead 2. For

thispurpose, the said structure 12 is at a suitable point near the end remote from the cutter head, carried by a gimbal which will admit of the opposite (front) end having universal movement. The said movable end is held in position by or between devices which are capable of adjustment to vary the position of the structure 12 and hence that of the cutter head 2 relatively to the normal concentric position of the latter.

The gimbal mounting comprises, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a gimbal frame 13 arranged to turn on a vertical axis consisting of pins 14: in fitments 15 situated above and below the frame 13 and attached to transverse bars 16 forming part of the body frame 4 of the machine. The longitudinal structure 12 is movable on a horizontal axis in the gimbal frame 13 constituted by pivot pins 17. Thus when the cutter head 2 is raised and lowered, the structure 12 turns on the pins 17, and when it is displaced laterally the frame 13 turns on the pins 14.

One form of means for holding and shiftingthe movable end of the structure consists ofscrews (Figs. 1 and 3) comprising vertically disposed screws 18 situated one above and one below the structure, and, hori zontally disposed screws 19 situated on opposite sides of said structure. These screws are carried by the frame 1 and it will be obvious that by adjusting same, 11. 0., slackening one and tightening the other of either or both sets, the front end of the structure 12 may be displaced in the direction desired.

In another form of means for holding and shifting the structure 12 (Fig. 4), which corresponds in function with the structure 12 of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, oppositely situated screws 20 for effecting lateral displacement are provic ed, but in this case the movable front end of the structure 12 is supported by a link 21 attached to one arm 22 of a bell-crank lever 23 pivotally mounted on the frame 4 at 24.- its other arm 25 engaging a nut 26 on a screwed shaft 27 The shaft 27 may be rotated from either side of'the frame 4 by a hand-wheel 2 8 and when so actuated moves the nut in one direction or the other and through the medium of the bell-crank lever 23 and link 21 raises or lowersthe structure 12. The vertical movement of the structure 12 takes place between the opposing side screws, the link 21 swinging on the arm 22 when the structure is displaced laterally by an'adjustment of said screws.

It will be understood that the cutter shaft 3, motor 9, and other parts of the machine which it is desirable or necessary shall have a constant relationship to each other are supported directly or indirectly by the lon- Copies of this patent may be obtained for described with reference to the mounting of the structure or part in the frame 4.

I claim Atunneling machine comprising a main frame adapted tomove lengthwise of a tunnel, a cutting head, a shaft upon which said head is mounted, a structure carried by the main frame for the support of said shaft, gimbal joint connections between the rear end of the said structure and the main frame, adapted to allow the shaft to vbe diverted from axial alinement with the tunncl and laterally and vertically adjustable means for supporting said shaft near its forward end. a

In testimony whereof I "aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DOUGLAS WHITAKER.

. Witnesses:

R. W. C. TAYLOR, GEORGE LESTER.

fivecents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. i 

